thurston



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. H. THURSTN.

CLOTHES RACK STAND.

No. 345,741. Patented July zo, 1886.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. H. THURSTON.

CLOTHES RAGK STAND.

Patented July 20, 1886.

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'UNITED STATESV ATENT Ormea;

WILLIAM H. THURSTON, OF DUKE CENTRE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR. OFONE-FOURTH TO G. F. BARTON, OF SAME PLACE.

CLOTH ES-RACK STAND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. K3,745,741', dated July20, 1886.

Application filed February 4, 1885. Serial No. 154,903. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, WILLIAM H. THURs'roN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Duke Centre, in the countyof McKean and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement inOlothesRacks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of clothes-rackswhich consist of a supporting-stand and folding arms supported in saidstand.

The object of myinvention is to construct a clothes-rack of this kind insuch manner that the folding arms can be withdrawn into thesupportingstand when the device is not required for use as a clothesrack, leavingthe top of the supporting-stand unobstructed, so that atable-top can be placed on the same, thereby enabling the device to beused as a table or as a clothes-rack, as desired.

My invention consists, to theseends, in the improvements in theconstructionof the device, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, andpointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,- consisting of two sheets, Figure l is aperspective view of the rack with the arms unfolded.V Fig. 2 is asectional elevation, showing the arms withdrawn into thesupporting-stand and the table-top supported in the same. Fig. 3 is aperspective view with the clothesrack in the same condition. Fig. 4. isa horizontal section in line x, Fig. 2. Figi 5 is a fragmentary verticalsection, on an enlarged scale, of the folding arms and supporting parts.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the supportingstand, composed offffour upright posts, a,connected at their lower ends, and provided with feet c', and securedwiththeir upper ends to the top a2, having a central opening, a3.

B B' represent .two sets of` folding arms arranged one above the otherand attached to an extensible standard, C, which is arranged verticallyin the supporting stand A. The standard C consists of a lower part, c,to which the lower set of arms, B, is connected, and an upper part, c',to which lthe upper arms, B', are connected. The lower part, e, of thestandard is composed of four upright bars, d, which are secured withtheir lower ends to a head or follower, D. The latter slides between theposts a of the supporting stand, and serves to retain the standard in anupright position.

E is a ring or collar, which surrounds the bars d of the lower part ofthe standard, andslides vertically on the same.

This ring Eis provided on its outer side with sockets e, in which thelower arms, B, are pivoted. The upper ends of the bars d are secured toa block,

f, arranged on the inner sides of these bars.

The upper portion, c', of the standard C is composed of four uprightbars, g, which slide in the spaces between the bars d of the lower part,c, the bars d and g forming together a hollow tubular standard, asrepresented in lFigs. 1 and 4. The ring E is secured tothe. lower endsof the bars g, and takes part in the sliding movement of the latter.

E is a similar ring surrounding the bars g, and sliding vertically onthe same. The ring E is provided with sockets e', in which the upperarms, B', are pivoted, and which are arranged between the sockets e ofthe lower ring, E, so that the arms of one set can swing outward andfold together between the arms of. the other set. The sockets e e areprovided on their lower sides with rests e2, on which the arms restwiththeir; lower sides, and at their upper sides with shoulders or flangese3, against which the inner ends of the arms bear 'with their uppersides when the arms are unfolded, as represented in the upper portion ofFig. 5, and also when the arms are folded or placed in a verticalposition, as represented in the lower portion of Fig. 5, thus providingtwo bearings for each arm, in addition to the pivot whereby the arms areheld in position, and whereby the pivots are substantially relieved fromstrain when the arms are unfolded.

H represents a cap, which is secured to the upper ends ofthe bars g,andwhereby the latter are held in their proper relative position.

h is a sliding catch or bolt attached to the cap H, and adapted toengage in au opening inv the ring E when the latter rests against theunder side of the cap H, as represented in Fig. 5.

I represents a table-top, which is adapted IOO to be placed upon the topa2 of the stand A, and provided on its under side with turn-buttons i,or other suitable fastening devices, whereby it can be secured to thetop a2.

j represents stops secured to the under side of the posts fz, forlimiting the upward Inovement of the head D and the lower part ot thestandard secured to the same. Vhen the arms B Bare folded together, thehead D rests upon the base of' the standard A, the ring E rests upon thehead D and the ring E upon the ring E, and the arms B B stand in anupright posit-ion between the posts a and around the tubular standard C,their upper ends being confined by t-he top a2, as represented in Fig.2. In this position of the arms the top a is unobstructed, and thetable-top I can be secured to the same by means of the turnbut tons z'.

\Vhen it is desired to use the arms for the purpose of a clothes-rack,the tabletop I is removed, when one or both sets of the arms can beraised out of the stand A and lie-unfolded above the top a2. It' it isdesired to usel but one set ot' arms, the telescopic standard C isextended by taking hold ofthe cap H and raising it until the upper ring,E, is raised above the top a2, when the arms B' will fold outward andrest on the top a2, and thereby support the ring E in this elevatedposition. In thus extending the standard C the upper bars, g, draw outtrom between the lower bars, d, after the head D has come in contactwith the stopsj. After the arms B have been unfolded the upper part ofthe standard is lowered until the cap H rests upon the ring E'. Whenboth sets of arms B B are required to be used, the standard Gis extendedand raised until the lower ring, E, is elevated above the top a2, whenthe lower arms, B, will fold ontwardly and rest 011 the top a2. Theupperring` E', is then elevated on the standard and locked against the underside of the cap H by the catch h, the lower ring, E, supporting theupper portion of thc standard in this elevated position, as representedin Fig. 1. XVhen the arms are required to be folded together, the upperring, E', is disconnected from the cap H, and the standard is pusheddown until the standard and arms are confined within the stand A, asrepresented in Fig. 2.

The table-top I is not only useful when the device is used as a table,but also serves to confine and protect thearms and thesupportingrst-andard of the clothes-rack.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with the stand A, of atelescopic standard, C, composed ot' a lower portion, c, and an upperportion, c', a ring, E, secured to the lower end of the upper portion,c. and provided with folding arms B, a ring, E', mounted loosely on theupper portion, c', and provided with folding arms B', and a catchwhereby the ring E can be secured in an elevated position upon the upperportion, c', of the standard, substantially as set forth.

2. rIhe combination, with the stand A, provided with stops j, of atelescopic standard, C, composed of two parts, c c', each consisting ofupright bars which fit between the bars of the other part, a head, D,secured to the lower end of the lower part, c, a cap, II, secured to theupper end of the upper part, c', and rings E E', provided with foldingarms B B', substantially as set forth.

VILLIAM II. THURSTON.

Vitnesses:

A. H. Low, G. F. BARTON.

